Automatic balancing device for flying-machines.



A. G. MATTESON.

AUTOMATIC BALANCING DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1912.

1,08%,024, Patented Jan. '13, 1914.

. 5 wuwwoz fit; 1'60 74 Mai/e 80 I1 mntywooao I f t? WWW llti

PATENT OFFICE.

ARGHIBALD G. MATTESON, 013 LOS ANGEL'ES, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATIC BALANCING DEVICE FOR FLYING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1914.

Application filed September 12, 1912. Serial No. 720,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARGHIBALD G. MATTE- sox, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelcs and Stateof California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Balancing Devices for Flying- Machines, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention relates generally to an improvement in automatic balancersfor aeroplanes, being more particularly directed to means whereby thelongitudinal and lateral balance of an aeroplane may be maintainedsimply through the weight of the aviator.

The main object of the present invention is the utilization of duplicatepower means, and the mounting of such means to permit the propellers tobe shifted in vertical planes, combined with mechanism whereby thelateral inclination of the aeroplane will automatically adjust therelative vertical position of the propellers to overcome suchinclination.

A further object is the connection of the front or rear elevating planeof the aeroplane with the control mechanism for the lateral balancer,whereby the longitudinal inclination may be automatically corrected.

With the above objects in View the invention consists in" certaindetails of construction and combinations of arts which will be'firstdescribed in the to lowing specification and then pointed out in theclaims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure l is a front elevation of an aeroplane, all supporting planestbemg omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig.

3 is a side elevation illustrating the automatic control for thebalancing plane. Fig. 4 is an end view of tl1e-same, the balancing planebeing omitted.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings the presentimprovements are designed for use with any type of aeroplane for whichthey may or can be adapted, and for the purpose of the presentdescription I shall designate the entire framework of such aeroplane as1, it being understood in this connection that, although not shown, allnecessary supporting planes and other fixed and movable parts notspecifically described herein, which are necessary to the particulartype of aeroplane used, are to be included in the designation of frame.

In the present instance I have shown four propellers arranged in frontand rear pairs, one pair of propellers, -as 2, constituting front ortract-or propellers, and the other pair, as 3, constituting the rear orthrust propellers.

All propellers being of identical construction and arrangement, it willbe sufficient for the purpose of the present invention to say that theshaft 4, constituting the shaft of each propeller, is mounted inbearings 5 fixed to the frame and each pair driven from its independentengine 6 through intermediate shafts 7 and suitable gearing (not shown).

Mounted in bearing blocks 8 depending from a suitable overhead portionof the frame is a shaft 9 on which there is centrally fixed atransversely extending balancing lever 10. Secured approximatelycentrally of the shaft 9 is a second transversely disposed shaft 11, androtatably mounted on the ends of the shaft 11 are the side bars 12 of aseat carrying frame 13. Including theside bars 12 the seat frame 13 hasan upper cross bar, and at the lower end is provided with a platform 14on or secured to which is arranged the aviators seat. By thisconstruction the seat frame 14 is pivotally mounted or swung in theframe of the aeroplane so that such seat frame is capable ofmovementeither longitudinally or laterally of the aeroplane frame.connected by brace wires 15 with the ends of the balancing lever 10.

The inner ends of the propeller shafts -1- are connected throughthemedium of links 16 with a control lever 17 pivotally mounted upon aframe 18 rising from the main frame 1, and the appropriate end of suchcontrol lever 17 is connected by a link rod 19 with that end of thebalancing lever 10 disposed thereabove, as will be clear from Fig. 2 0fthe drawings.

Arranged in the seat frame 13 between the side bars 12 thereof andpreferably mounted upon the shaft 11 is a drum 21 integrally formed withor having secured thereon a sprocket wheel 22. Mounted in the side barsof the seat frame above the shaft 11 is another shaft 23 on which thereis disposed a pulley 24 in vertical alincment with the drum 21. A thirdshaft 25 is arranged below the shaft 11 and carries a pulley 26 also inalinement. with the drum. The drum 21 is of such width as to permit theThe seat frame is.

' pulleys 24 and 26 to be in vertical alinement therewith and yet inofiset vertical planes, as clearly shown in Fig. 4-. A control cable 27is coiled once about the drum 21, beingpreferably fixed thereto and onelength of said cable extends to and over the upper pulley 2-4: to theupright 28 of the balancing plane 29 of the aeroplane, while the otherlength of said cable extendsto and beneath the lower pulley 26, and tothe opposite end of said bufier.

If a front and a rear balancing plane are both used for the aeroplanestructure a second cable 30 has one terminal, as 31', con-- nected tothe cable 27 beyond the pulley 26 and the opposite terminal, as 32,connected to said cable beyond the pulley 24. From the connections 31and 32 the cable 30 extends to the opposite balancing plane or ifdesired to the different ailerons. In other words the cables 27 and 30are beyond the seat frame to be connected to the balancing plane, orelevator, where one only is used, or to front and rear elevators, wheresuch are used, or to both the particular elevator and ailerons.

Mounted upon one of the side bars 12 of the seat frame is a shaft 33carrying a hand Wheel 34 within convenient reach of the aviator, and onsuch shaft, or integral with the hand wheel, is a sprocket Wheel 35connected by a chain 36 with the sprocket wheel 22 on the shaft 11.

As thus constructed and arranged it will be obvious that without regardto the lateral or longitudinal tilting of the main frame the seat framewill by reason of the weight of the driver or aviator maintain avertical position due to its pivotal connection and it is through. thisrelative movement of the seat and main frame that the automaticbalancing control is secured. For the lateral balancing control it willbe un derstood that asthe machine tilts to one side or the other acorres onding but 'op-- posite movement of the ba ancing lever 10 ishad, such movement of the balancing lever being secured through therelative op- T posite movement of the seat frame to that of the mainframe. Under such movement the link rods 19 at the respective ends ofthe balancing lever will operate. through the control lever and link 16upon the propeller shafts. 'Assumin the tilt downward at the endillustrate in Fig. 2, it will be seen that in the operation justdescribed, the tractor propellers 2 will be elevated and the thrustpropellers depressed or lowered. As the tractor propellers tend to pullthe machine and the thrust propellers push the machine, it will beobvious that the arrangement described will operate to elevate thelowered end of the machine and thus restore the lateral equilibrium ofthe aeroplane. For the longitudinal balance it will be obvious that inthe longitudinal inclination of the aeroplane the seat frame swinging onthe shaft 11 will maintain its normal vertical position. This throughthe swinging of the pulleys 24 and 26 about the drum as acenter willinduce a movement of the cables 27 and 30, which when properly connectedto the elevators or to the elevators and ailerons will so operate saidparts as to position them in a manner Well understood for adjusting thelongitudinal balance of the aeroplane.

It will thus be obvious that through the mounting of the seat frame inthe manner described and the various connections therefrom an automaticcorrection of a lateral or v necessary in ascending ,or descending or insetting the elevators for particular purposes.

It is to be understood that While preferring the construction hereindisclosed, the details thereof are not in a precise form absolutelyessential to a perfect result, and that I contemplate such variationfrom details described, asmay fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention,

what is claimed as new is:--.

1. The combination with the main frame ofan aeroplane, of'a shaftcarried thereby, of a drivers seat pivotally mounted on said shaft, adrum loosely arranged on said shaft, pulleys carried bythe seat aboveand below the drum, an elevator plane, and a cable terminally connectedto said plane, passed about the respective pulleys and wound about thedrum.

2. The combination with the main frame of an aeroplane, of a shaftcarried thereby. of a drivers seat pivotally mounted on said shaft, adrum loosely arranged on said shaft, pulleys carried by the seat aboveand below the drum, an elevator plane, a cable terminally connected tosaid plane, passed about the respective pulleys and wound affect all ofsaid means in one relative nections between said seatand balancing planeto control the latter in the other relative movement of the seat andaeroplane.

4. The combination with an aeroplane, of propelling means arranged oneach side of the aeroplane, and including independent pushing andpulling propellers, a balancing plane, a drivers seat pivotally mountedon the frame of the aeroplane for free movement in each of twodirections, lever connections intermediate said seat and. all of saidpropelling means to simultaneously afiect all of said means 1n onerelative movetions between said seat and balancin ment of the seat andframe, cable connecplane to control the latter in the other relativemovement of the seat and aeroplane, and

manually operable means carried by the seat for operating the balancingplane cables independently of the seat movements.

In testimony whereof, I "aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ARCHIBALD G. MATTESON. Witnesses:

M. H. THO PsoN,' G. M. HU'roHINsoN'.

